Birds Eye Green Cuisine is set to unveil a new campaign in Britain this “Veganuary,” in an effort to encourage shoppers to “do what they can” when it comes to increasing their consumption of plant-based products. It will roll out on January 3 across TV, VOD and OOH in conjunction with in-store activations at major supermarkets.
Making a pun on the popular month of meat-free eating, “Do-what-you-canuary” will seek to empower shoppers to do their bit in reducing the amount of meat they eat, without feeling the pressure of going 100% meat-free for the whole month.
Veganuary plays an important role in attracting consumers into the meat-free category, having seen a 20% increase in penetration last January, totaling £23 million. It’s a crucial month for retailers’ meat-free sales, and last year it accounted for 9% of total annual meat-free receipts. It also provided a 22% boost to category sales compared to other months.
The launch of a new multi-channel campaign from Birds Eye follows upon the impressive performance of its Green Cuisine frozen food brand, which has experienced three consecutive years of double-digit growth and is now worth £19.2 million, according to Nielsen Scantrack.
Victoria Westwood, senior brand manager at Birds Eye, said: “We’re on a mission to show how plants can be at the heart of every meal, and encourage people to increase their consumption of plant-based food for both the benefit of themselves as well as the planet. Yet, while Veganuary is crucial in attracting new shoppers to the category, we recognize that many are caught between wanting to make a difference but without having to commit to completely shifting away from meat-based products.
“Do-what-you-canuary targets flexitarian shoppers who want to reduce their meat consumption, but on their own terms and without the associations that come with being labeled as a vegan or meat-eater. We want to reassure shoppers to do what they can when it comes to enjoying meat-free food, and to do so free from the labels, pressures and pretension of plant-based eating. With the number of options available as part of our Green Cuisine range, we’re perfectly positioned to make it even easier for shoppers to add more plant-based foods to their diet, throughout January and the rest of 2022.”
Birds Eye Green Cuisine’s appeal with shoppers can be partially attributed to its extensive range of meat-free versions of some of the United Kingdom’s most-loved teatime foods. Recent launches of various Chicken-free products and Fish-free Fingers have driven category growth further, with 51% of Green Cuisine sales coming from these recent NPD launches, as shoppers enter the category through purchasing plant-based products that are reflective of their favorite meat-based dinner time foods.
About Birds Eye
Birds Eye is owned by Felton, England-headquartered Nomad Foods Europe Ltd. The brand launched over 70 years ago, and has provided high-quality frozen food for generations. Its offerings run the gamut from frozen peas and fish fingers to potato waffles, fish and seafood entrees, vegetables, chicken, meat-free alternatives, pies, pastries, pancakes and desserts.
